Programmable drivers, such as drivers used in light emitting diode (LED) luminaires, are programmed directly through many communications methods. The drivers are programmable, either one at a time, or in a group. Programming drivers one at a time can be a labor intensive process. When programming in a group, one problem is that it is difficult to discern if an error has been made in the programming until the programmed drivers are inserted into the fixture. Unless each programmed driver is put through a physical measurement of the setting, signals, or both, to confirm the programming, one may not know whether the programming was successful. Another problem is knowing what parameters may have been programmed into a driver intended for field replacement. For example, even if drivers are labeled after they have been programmed, the labels may age, fade, fall off, or otherwise become unreadable. Also, mix-ups can occur in drivers that have been programmed to one set of parameters, but which accidentally get placed in a group for drivers programmed with another, different set of parameters. One possible solution is to train humans to avoid these errors by looking at the instances of human interaction with the products and intervening with quality control measures. However, training humans and checking for errors increases time and cost of driver production and programming.
Driver manufacturers also struggle with how to add wireless communication means to the drivers without creating other problems associated with the LED driver placement in LED lighting fixtures. LED drivers are sometimes surrounded with grounded metal such that communications wirelessly via antenna is made difficult due to reduced communications range.
Accordingly, embodiments presented herein provide, among other things, LED luminaires where the LED engine is the vehicle for programming the LED driver.